'Dream a Little Dream'

Pink Martini teams up with The von Trapps for C.R. show

Mar. 5, 2014

Special to the P-C

Written by

Aly Brown

Iowa City Press-Citizen

If you go

• What: Pink Martini and The von Trapps will perform • When, where: 8 p.m. Saturday at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids. • Tickets: $27 to $79, available at www.paramounttheatrecr.com or by calling 366-8203.

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How do you make a Pink Martini? Take a Harvard-educated pianist with a taste for the Bacchanalian and two energetic female vocalists, add nine multi-talented multilingual musicians, shake and serve.

Pink Martini, the self-described “little orchestra” from Portland, Ore., will perform at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids. The band’s performance will be garnished by an appearance from The von Trapps, of the renowned “The Sound of Music” family.

Pink Martini is touring the country to promote its new collaborative album “Dream a Little Dream,” featuring The von Trapps, Wayne Newton, The Chieftans, Charmain Carr and Jack Hanna.

Thomas Lauderdale, Pink Martini’s pianist and bandleader, was raised on a plant nursery in rural Indiana and then studied history and literature at Harvard, where he threw grand bashes and midnight swimming parties.

Lauderdale moved to Portland with his sights set on public office, until he attended political fundraisers and was “appalled at how bad the music was.”

“I started the band on a lark thinking it would be a fun way to bridge arts and music and politics, and it became clear to me that it was much more fabulous traveling the world getting applause night after night, rather than sitting at a desk under fluorescent lights pushing paper and hearing from angry constituents,” he said.

Lauderdale describes Pink Martini as “old-fashioned global pop,” without the folk influence implied by the world music genre.

“This is much more urban, downtown music which has to do with nightlife and going out and fun and stars,” he said.

Pink Martini’s lineup is like a box of Crayons, including two percussionists who play in Brazil, a singer who sings in 14 different languages, and a trumpeter versed in every genre from polka to mariachi to gospel.

Lauderdale said the band frequently collaborates with other performers to keep the band and audience “entertained.” The orchestra has partnered with the likes of NPR White House correspondent Ari Shapiro, Rufus Wainwright, the original cast of “Sesame Street” and Carol Channing.

Sofia von Trapp is the oldest of her siblings — August, Amanda and Melanie — who are the great-grandchildren of Captain and Maria von Trapp who inspired the singing family in “The Sound of Music.”

Von Trapp said her family met Lauderdale at a Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Portland two winters ago. Von Trapp said they “fell in love” with the band’s style and music and started making music with them beginning with a performance at Austin City Limits.

Von Trapp said her siblings appeared on Pink Martini’s 2013 album “Get Happy” but hit the studio a few months ago for a full collaboration on “Dream a Little Dream.” The result was a diverse album that places the Rwandan national anthem next to the Swedish-language version of ABBA’s “Fernando” and a sound as sweet as fluttering cartoon bluebirds.

“We would go into the studio, and it was more in the spirit of what is delightful and enjoyable and whenever there was a take that really felt right, instead of it being really technically perfect,” she said.

Lauderdale said the album’s magical and whimsical music is perfect for the live setting, which often ends up with a party on stage and conga line.